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From  the  Library  of 

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SOME  FACTS 

Concerning 

APPALACHIAN  AND 

WESTERN  NORTH 

CAROLINA 

RAILROAD 


1ISON    PRINTING    CO.,    GREENSBORO,    N.    C. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


http://www.archive.org/details/somefactsconcernOOmill 


to 


Colonel  Bennehan  Cameron,   Chairman, 
Hon.  T.  C.  Bowie, 
Major  W.  C.  Heath, 

Executive  Committee, 

Special  Commission,  A.  8  W.  N.  C.  Railroad, 

Gentlemen : 

Following  instructions  given  me  by  your  Committee,  in  May,  1923, 
organizations  were  perfected  and  work  gotten  under  way  for  making  three 
preliminary  surveys,  to  determine  the  location  for  the  Appalachian  and  Wes- 
tern North  Carolina  Railroad.      These  three  Projects  are  as  follows: 

Ashe  County  Project, 
Alleghany  County  Project, 
Watauga    County   Project. 

Later  it  was  decided  to  add  an  additional  project,  namely: 

Taylorsville  Project. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  Executive  Committee  was  held  at  North 
Wilkesboro,  and  was  attended  by  the  Chief  Engineer  as  well  as  the  Consult- 
ing Engineer.  At  this  meeting  it  was  decided  by  the  Committee  that  the 
three  original  projects  should  be  confined  to  a  maximum  of  eight  degree 
curvature  and  one  per  cent,  compensated  grades  against  east  bound  traffic, 
and  one  and  one-half  per  cent,  compensated  grades  against  west  bound  traffic. 
Later,  when  the  Taylorsville  Project  was  added,  it  was  decided  that  curvature 
limitations  for  this  project  should  be  ten  degrees  maximum,  and  that  the 
gradient  limitations  should  be  two  per  cent,  compensated  in  either  direction. 

The  maps  covering  all  four  projects  have  been  prepared  and  the  projec- 
tions made  within  the  prescribed  limitations.  Taking  them  up  in  their 
respective  order,   a  detailed  description  follows: 

ASHE  COUNTY  PROJECT 

Starting  at  the  western  terminus  of  the  Wilkesboro  Branch  of  South- 
ern Railway,  this  project  extends  through  Wilkes  and  Ashe  Counties,  North 
Carolina,  and  Johnson  County,  Tennessee,  a  distance  of  76.7  miles  to  a 
connection  with  the  Big  Stone  Gap-Mountain  City  Branch  of  Southern 
Railway,  at  Mountain  City,  Tennessee.  The  end  of  Southern  Railway  at 
North  Wilkesboro  is  zero  mile  post  for  this  line. 

The  first  mile  westward  follows  the  old  grade  of  the  Watauga  and 
Yadkin  River  Railroad.  Leaving  this  grade  near  mile  post  1,  it  follows  up 
Saw  Mill  and  Fish  Dam  Creeks  to  near  mile  post  8. 

Just  west  of  Purlear,  North  Carolina  there  is  a  wide  valley  stretching 
out  from  the  foot  of  Rendezvous  Mountain.  From  mile  post  8,  westwardly 
the  line  is  projected  around  this  valley  crossing  under  the  Boone  Trail  High- 
way at  mile  post  9.7,  at  Purlear. 

3 


On  page  seven  of  the  Ashe  County  Project  maps,  Hoover  Knob  Loop 
and  its  approaches  are  shown.  The  line  enters  this  sheet  at  mile  post  12.5, 
and  leaves  it  at  mile  post  18.3,  and  the  projection  is  on  the  maximum  grade 
throughout. 

Leaving  Hoover  Mountain,  near  mile  post  18,  the  line  is  projected  along 
Summit  Ridge  to  a  crossing  over  the  North  Prong  of  Lewis  Fork  Creek  at 
mile  post  26.2,  passing  Gunners  Gap  at  mile  post  24.5,  and  Summit  Post- 
office  at  mile  post  25. 

An  alternative  route  from  Gunners  Gap,  wile  post  24.5  to  North 
V/ilkesboro,  has  been  considered.  Reference  will  be  wade  to  this 
route  in  the  concluding  paragraph  of  the  Ashe  County  Project  des- 
cription. 

Crossing  Lewis  Fork  Creek  at  mile  post  26.2,  the  projection  follows 
around  the  ends  of  Piney  Knob  Ridge,  Big  Lump  Ridge,  Little  Lump  Ridge 
and  Spur  Ridge  reaching  Fowlers  Cove  at  mile  post  3  2.  Following  then 
around  the  side  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  the  east  portal  of  Daniels  Gap  Tunnel  is 
reached  at  mile  post  33.3.  This  tunnel  will  lie  in  a  northwesterly  direction 
and  will  be  approximately  three  thousand  feet  long.  For  twenty-one  miles  ap- 
proaching the  east  portal  of  Daniels  Gap  Tunnel,  the  projected  line  is  con- 
stantly on  the  prescribed  maximum  gradient. 

Leaving  the  west  portal  of  Daniels  Gap  Tunnel  the  line  follows  easy 
country  for  several  miles,  crossing  South  Fork  of  New  River  at  mile  post  36. 

At  mile  post  43.5,  it  passes  through  Shepherd's  Gap,  thirty-one 
hundred  feet  above  sea  level,  the  highest  point  on  the  line  between  North 
Wilkesboro  and  Mountain  City. 

From  Shepherd's  Gap  westwardly  the  line  descends  on  a  one  per  cent, 
compensated  grade  to  Buffalo  Creek,  mile  post  49.2  at  Warrensville.  West 
Jefferson  is  at  mile  post  44.  The  Junction  with  the  Alleghany  County 
Project  is  at  mile  post  45.6.  Besides  Buffalo  Creek;  the  Highway  and  the 
Abingdon  Branch  of  Norfolk  and  Western  Railway  are  also  crossed  at  mile 
post  49.2. 

After  crossing  Buffalo  Creek  the  projected  line  passes  on  to  the  north 
side  of  Three  Top  Mountain,  which  it  follows  to  mile  post  54,  passing 
Clifton  at  mile  post  53. 

At  mile  post  55,  the  line  crosses  North  Fork  of  New  River.  Thence 
through  a  short  tunnel  and  it  enters  the  valley  of  Big  Laurel  Creek,  at  mile 
post  56.  Following  up  Big  Laurel  Creek,  Paynes  Gap  is  reached  at  the 
North  Carolina-Tennessee  line  and  is  negotiated  with  a  tunnel  one-half  mile 
long,  the  west  portal  of  which  is  at  mile  post  62. 

From  the  west  portal  of  Paynes  Gap  Tunnel  the  line  follows  along  the 
south  side  of  Forge  Mountain  to  Furnace  Creek,  where  it  turns  around  the 
end  of  the  mountain  to  Goose  Creek.  Reaching  Goose  Creek  it  follows 
down  this  stream  to  Mountain  City,  Tennessee,  and  a  connection  with  South- 
ern  Railway   at   mile   post    76.7. 

4 


With  further  reference  to  the  line  from  Gunners  Gap,  mile  post  24.5, 
to  North  Wilkesboro,  which  we  have  named  the  Big  Ivey  Church  Line,  it 
is  highly  probably  that  this  is  a  better  line  than  the  Hoover  Knob  Line,  the 
latter  of  which  was  surveyed.  It  was  our  original  intention  to  survey  the 
Big  Ivey  Church  Line,  which  would  extend  toward  Deep  Ford  Hill  from 
Gunners  Gap,  and  thence  down  Reddies  River  to  North  Wilkesboro,  but 
weather  conditions  made  the  territory  inaccessible  and  the  Hoover  Knob  Line 
was  surveyed  instead.  Should  the  Ashe  County  Project  be  decided  upon, 
this  line  should  by  all  means  be  surveyed. 

ALLEGHANY  COUNTY  PROJECT 

It  is  the  purpose  of  the  Alleghany  County  Project  to  connect  Elkin, 
North  Carolina  with  Mountain  City,  Tennessee.  The  Elkin  and  Alleghany 
Railroad,  a  standard  guage  line,  has  been  constructed  north  from  Elkin  about 
fifteen  miles.  Zero  mile  post  of  the  Alleghany  County  Project  is  at  mile  post 
13.78  of  Elkin  and  Alleghany  Railroad  near  Doughton,  North  Carolina. 

While  the  Elkin  and  Alleghany  Railroad  is  taken  in  this  report  as  an 
existing  railroad,  at  the  same  time  several  thousand  dollars  will  have  to  be 
expended  on  this  line  if  it  is  used  as  a  part  of  Appalachian  and  Western 
North  Carolina  Railroad. 

From  mile  post  zero,  our  line  is  projected  in  a  general  northwestward 
direction  passing  between  Stone  Mountain  and  Ellis  Knob  and  running  on  to 
Leaning  Knob,  which  it  reaches  near  mile  post  13. 

Circling  this  knob  the  line  reverses  and  turns  in  a  general  southeast  ■ 
ward  direction  to  the  east  portal  of  Rich  Mountain  Tunnel.  A  peculiar 
coincidence  in  connection  with  this  tunnel  is,  that  in  reality  the  east  portal 
is  the  west  end  of  it  due,  of  course,  to  the  topography  of  the  country.  For 
twelve  miles  east  of  the  tunnel  the  line  climbs  the  mountain  on  the  maximum 
gradient   set  by   the   Commission. 

Rich  Mountain  Tunnel  will  have  to  be  about  forty-one  hundred  feet 
long.  From  its  west  end  the  line  bears  toward  the  northwest,  passing  Delane 
Church  at  mile  post  20,  Cherry  Lane  at  mile  post  21,  Woodruff's  Summit 
at  mile  post  22,  Wolf  Branch  School  House  at  mile  post  26.5  and  Wagoner's 
Store  at  mile  post  27,  reaching  the  east  portal  of  Peach  Bottom  Tunnel  at 
mile  post  33.5.  The  grades  between  Rich  Mountain  and  Peach  Bottom 
Tunnels  are  undulating,  the  line  being  kept  on  high  ground  purposely  in 
order  to  reduce  milage  to  a  minimum.  The  line  is  within  two  and  one- 
half  miles  of  Sparta  at  mile  post  27,  and  a  splendid  road  can  be  constructed 
between  these  two  points.  At  mile  post  30.7,  it  is  about  one-half  mile 
south   of  Whitehead. 

Pea/ch  Bottom  Tunnel  will  lie  almost  exactly  east  and  west  and  its 
length  will  be  approximately  twenty-three  hundred  feet.  The  summit  at 
Peach  Bottom  Tunnel  will  be  the  highest  point  on  the  line  between  Elkin  and 
Mountain  City,  being  three  thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty-six  feet  above 
sea  level. 

5 


From  Peach  Bottom  Tunnel  south  to  Laurel  Springs  is  a  distance  of 
eight  and  one-half  miles,  and  two  complete  spirals  are  necessary  in  order  to 
get  down  to  Cranberry  Creek  on  a  one  per  cent,  descending  compensated 
grade. 

Laurel  Springs  is  at  mile  post  44,  and  here  the  line  reaches  Cranberry 
Creek.  It  then  follows  down  this  stream  for  six  and  one-half  miles,  where 
it  turns  to  the  left  and  heads  across  country  to  South  Fork  of  New  River 
reaching  it  at  mile  post  5  1 . 

Following  up  the  river  the  projection  has  been  made  to  the  mouth 
of  Naked  Creek,  mile  post  60,  and  thence  crossing  the  river  and  up  Naked 
Creek  to  Jefferson,  at  mile  post  64,  and  on  to  a  Junction  with  the  Ashe 
County  Project  at  mile  post  65.3.  In  order  to  construct  the  Alleghany 
County  Project  it  will  be  necessary  to  build  96.4  miles,  representing  65.3 
miles  from  Doughton  to  a  connection  with  the  Ashe  County  Project,  and 
31.1  miles  from  this  connection  to  Mountain  City,  adding  to  this  13.8  miles 
representing  that  portion  of  the  Elkin  and  Alleghany  Railroad  to  be  rebuilt, 
we  have  a  total  of  110.2  miles  from  Elkin,  North  Carolina  to  Mountain 
City,   Tennessee;   the  whole  of  the  Alleghany  County  Project. 

WATAUGA    COUNTY    PROJECT 

The  Watauga  County  Project  starts  from  North  Wilkesboro,  zero  mile 
post  being  the  same  as  that  of  the  Ashe  County  Project,  and  it  extends  from 
there  ninety-three  and  one-half  miles  westwardly  to  Butler,  Tennessee. 

The  grade  of  the  old  Watauga  and  Yadkin  River  Railroad  is  used  for 
seven  miles,  to  Lewis  Fork  Creek,  where  the  new  line  turns  northwestwardly 
and  follows  up  Lewis  Fork  Creek  to  mile  post  10,  and  from  mile  post  10 
it  bears  up  the  west  prong  of  Lewis  Fork  Creek,  and  thence  on  to  the  Boone 
Trail  Highway  at  mile  post   14. 

Here  it  begins  the  ascent  of  the  Blue  Ridge  Mountain  on  the  maximum 
gradient  set  by  the  Commission.  It  follows  up  Fall  Creek  and  the  west 
prong  of  Lewis  Fork  Creek,  reversing  direction  several  times  in  gaining 
distance.  Between  mile  post  31,  and  mile  post  31.5,  it  is  necessary  to  cross 
the  Boone  Trail  Highway  three  times.  At  mile  post  33,  the  line  is  hardly 
more  than  a  stones  throw  from  the  top  of  the  Blue  Ridge  Mountain  at  Deep 
Gap,  but  far  below  it  in  point  of  elevation. 

Following  on  along  the  side  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  Osborne  Mountain 
Loop,  three  miles  long,  is  reached,  and  the  line  reverses  direction  returning 
to  Deep  Gap  where  the  east  portal  of  Deep  Gap  Tunnel  is  reached  at  mile 
post  40.5.  This  tunnel  will  have  to  be  thirty-two  hundred  feet  long,  and 
twenty-six  miles  of  the  line  approaching  it  from  the  east  will  be  on  the 
maximum   grade. 

Leaving  the  west  portal  of  Deep  Gap  Tunnel  the  Boone  Trail  High- 
way is  followed  and  crossed  several  times  to  mile  post  45.7.  Here  it  turns 
toward  South  Fork  of  New  River  which  it  reaches  at  mile  post  46.  The 
line  is  projected  up  this  stream  substantially  following  its  meanderings  to  mile 
post  53.5,  crossing  the  river  now  and  then  in  order  to  avoid  excess  curvature. 

6 


At  mile  post  53.5  the  plant  of  the  Boone  Power  Company  is  reached. 
Boone  Station  will  be  situated  somewhere  in  the  valley  between  mile  posts 
54  and  55.  At  mile  post  54.5,  the  Linville  River  Railroad,  a  narrow  guage 
line  is  crossed,  and  at  mile  post  56.6  the  summit  of  the  ridge  between  South 
Fork  of  New  River  and  Watauga  River  is  reached  in  Hodges  Gap,  the  high- 
est point  on  the  Watauga  County  Project,  being  thirty-two  hundred  2nd 
forty-six  feet  above  sea  level. 

From  Hodges  Gap  down  to  Watauga  River  it  is  necessary  to  develop 
distance  in  order  to  decend  within  the  grade  limitations.  The  river  is  reached 
at  mile  post  63.5  near  Foscoe.  Shulls  Mills  Station  is  at  mile  post  65.1, 
and  Valle  Crucis  is  at  mile  post  69.  At  mile  post  75,  the  line  enters  the 
Watauga  River  Gorge.  From  here  to  Butler,  Tennessee,  a  distance  of  18.5 
miles,  the  line  follows  the  meanderings  of  the  river,  side  hill  cuts  and  fills 
being  necessary. 

Connection  is  made  with  the  Big  Stone  Gap-Mountain  City  Branch  of 
Southern  Railway  at  Butler,  Tennessee,  eighteen  miles  toward  Bristol  from 
Mountain  City,  the  distance  from  North  Wilkesbro,  being  93.5   miles. 

TAYLORSVILLE    PROJECT 

Beginning  at  Wilkesboro  Junction,  mile  post  0.7  of  the  Ashe  and 
Watauga  County  Projects,  this  line  turns  southeastwardly  and  crosses  Yadkin 
River  on  a  diagonal.  From  the  south  end  of  the  bridge,  it  heads  due  south 
into  the  hills  and  through  a  tunnel  under  the  town  of  Wilkesboro. 

Continuing  southwardly  on  undulating  grades  it  passes  Moravian  Falls 
at  mile  post  5.  Just  north  of  mile  post  6,  the  ascent  of  Brushy  Mountain 
is  begun,   and  Kilby's  Gap  is   reached  at  mile  post    10.5. 

From  the  summit  to  mile  post  16,  there  is  a  continuous  descent,  and 
from  mile  post  16,  to  mile  post  21.7,  at  Taylorsville,  the  grades  are  undu- 
lating. 

The  maximum  curvature  used  on  this  line  is  ten  degrees,  and  the  maxi- 
mum gradient  is  one  and  eight-tenths  per  cent,  compensated.  The  con- 
struction work  will  be  light  throughout  the  entire  length,  considering  the 
class  of  country  traversed,  and  the  general  direction  of  the  line  is  almost  due 
south. 

From  Wilkesboro  Junction  to  Taylorsville  the  distance  is  21.7  miles, 
and  from  Wilkesboro  Junction  to  North  Wilkesboro  it  is  0.7  miles,  making 
a  total  distance  of  22.4  miles  from  North  Wilkesboro  to  Taylorsville,  or 
114.5  miles  from  Taylorsville  to  Butler,  Tennessee,  and  97.7  miles  from 
Taylorsville  to  Mountain  City,  Tennessee. 

WATER  POWER  POSSIBILITIES: 

The  counties  through  which  these  lines  have  been  run  present  possi- 
bilities for  wonderful  hydro-electric  development.  The  fall  in  the  rivers 
make  possible  a  series  of  units  combined  through  synchronizing  plants  de- 
veloping a   great  amount   of  power. 

7 


V3I30NVWV1V. 


On  South  Fork  of  New  River,  at  one  point,  there  is  a  possibility  of 
a  super  power  plant  where  something  like  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand 
twenty-four  hour  horse  power  could  be  developed  at  a  reasonable  cost.  Ri- 
parian rights  only,  stand  in  the  way,  and  it  is  possible  that  this  might  be 
overcome. 


MINERAL  AND  TIMBER  RESOURCES: 

These  counties  abound  in  soapstone,  mica,  feldspar,  granite  and  lime- 
stone, as  well  as  large  quantities  of  magnatite  and  copper.  The  magnatite  of 
Ashe  County  runs  52-56  per  cent,  pure  iron.  Ore  Knob  Copper  Mine,  in 
Ashe  County,  once  turned  out  in  one  year  something  over  sixteen  hundred 
tons  of  pure  copper,  and  Peach  Bottom  Copper  Mine,  in  Alleghany  County, 
is  rich  in  metallic  properties. 

Stone  Mountain,  in  Alleghany  County,  has  an  unlimited  deposit  of  the 
finest  grade  of  granite,  Ashe  County  has  its  soapstone  and  Watauga  County 
has  its  mica  and  feldspar. 

Great  boundaries  of  timber  including  oak,  chestnut,  poplar,  spruce,  hem- 
lock, pine  and  walnut  are  to  be  found  here,  and  particularly  is  this  true  in 
Watauga  County. 

MANUFACTURING   POSSIBILITIES : 

The  elevation  of  the  Blue  Ridge  Plateau  gives  it  a  climate  particularly 
suitable  for  the  manufacture  of  fine  textile  products.  Hydro-electric  power 
possibilities  in  this  territory  also  furnish  great  advantages  to  manufacturing. 

SCENERY: 

The  top  of  the  Blue  Ridge  Mountain  averages  around  thirty-one  hundred 
to  thirty-two  hundred  feet  above  sea  level,  and  from  the  Alleghany  County 
Crest  the  great  Pilot  Mountain  and  the  Brushies  stand  out  in  the  back- 
ground, and  the  Yadkin  River  can  be  seen  in  places  as  a  mirror  in  the  land- 
scape. 

From  the  Ashe  County  Crest,  at  Daniels  Gap  Tunnel,  great  ridges 
stretch  out  in  the  foreground,  and  far  in  the  distance  Reddies  River  winds 
itself  into  the  valley  toward  the  Yadkin.  From  the  end  of  Osborne  Moun- 
tain, in  Watauga  County,  there  is  a  view,  deep  in  Elk  Creek  Valley  that  can- 
not be  surpassed. 

Leaving  the  crest  and  falling  back  into  the  interior  a  wonderful  view 
can  be  had  from  the  top  of  Peach  Bottom  Mountain  in  Allegheny  County; 
from  the  top  of  Three  Top  Mountain  in  Ashe  County,  and  from  near  Hod- 
ges Gap  in  Watauga  County.  From  any  one  of  these  places  great  peaks 
and  valleys  covered  with  blue  grass  and  dotted  here  and  there  with  grazing 
sheep  and  cattle,  present  a  wonderful  and  magnificent  panorama.  Such  is 
the  summer  time  paradise  known  as  the  "Lost  Provinces." 

10 


There  is  possibly  no  section  of  the  United  States  that  can  excel  these 
counties  for  summer  resort  climate.  Cool  breezes,  grassy  hillsides,  shady 
groves,  babbling  brooks  and  fast  flowing  rivers,  make  them  an  ideal  place  for 
summer  vacationing,  yet  upon  the  completion  of  the  Appalachian  and  Wes- 
tern North  Carolina  Railroad,  they  will  be  but  a  night's  ride  from  the  cent#r 
of  the  Nations  Industrial  Districts.  With  development  this  will  inevitably 
become  a  great  resort  country.  With  all  of  this  they  are  only  a  day's 
journey  by  automobile,  over  good  roads,  to  the  Sandhill  Resorts  of  North 
Carolina,    nationally    famous  as   winter   play   grounds. 

AGRICULTURE : 

Natural  blue  grass  is  found  in  all  of  these  counties.  Timber  and  under- 
brush removed  from  the  hill-sides,  beautiful  blue  grass  pastures  develop  in 
two  years,  and  except  in  rare  instances  the  soil  will  not  wash.  Sheep  and 
light  weight  cattle  are  profitably  grown  in  this  country.      Poultry  also  thrives. 

The  bottom  lands  are  exceedingly  fertile  and  produce  excellent  grain, 
especially  corn.  Apples,  pears  and  cherries  are  unexcelled.  In  fact  the  apples 
have  taken  national  prizes.      Cheese  is  also  produced  in   great  quantities. 

THE    TRUNK   LINE    RAILROAD: 

The  Blue  Ridge  Mountain  extends  from  Northern  Georgia  to  Maryland, 
attaining  its  highest  elevation  in  Mitchell  County,  North  Carolina. 

The  Alleghany  Mountain  extends  from  Pennsylvania  down  through 
Maryland,  Virginia  and  West  Virginia,  and  into  Kentucky  terminating  in 
foot  hills  known  as  the  Cumberland  Mountains.  Between  these  two  ranges 
there  is  a  valley  known  as  the  Shenandoah,  which  runs  practically  the 
whole  length  of  the  State  of  Virginia. 

The  Virginia  East  and  West  trunk  lines  of  railroad  cross  these  two 
ranges  of  mountains  as  well  as  the  Shenandoah  Valley. 

One  of  these  lines  serving  North  Carolina  has  three  branches  ex- 
tending into  the  State;  one  to  Ashe  County;  one  to  Forsyth  County  and 
one  to  Durham  County.  Besides  these  three  branches  all  of  the  North 
and  South  trunk  lines  of  railway  which  pass  across  the  States  of  Virginia 
and  North  Carolina,  also  connect  with  the  Virginia  East  and  West  trunk  lines. 

Across  the  State  entirely  from  North  to  South,  the  most  westerly  line 
of  through  rails  is  a  combination  of  the  Norfolk  and  Western  and  Southern 
Railways  from  Martinsville,  Virginia  by  way  of  Winston-Salem,  Barber, 
Mooresville,  Charlotte  and  Gastonia  to  Blacksburg,  South  Carolina.  Spring- 
ing from  this  line,  the  first  through  rail  connection  to  the  west,  south  of 
Roanoke,  is  a  combination  of  Southern,  C.  C.  $  O.  and  C.  &  O.  Railways 
from  Barber  to  Cincinnati.  A  little  thought  makes  it  manifest  that  some  of 
these  systems  are  interested  in,  and  have  probably  been  factors  toward  perpetu- 
ating the  freight  rate  discriminations  against  North  Carolina.  Nearly  all  of 
North  Carolina's  East  and  West  lines  of  railroad  terminate  in  the  main  line  of 
Southern  Railway.      Only  two  lines  of  road  cross  the  Blue  Ridge  in  North 

11 


Carolina,  they  being  the  Southern  and  the  C.  C.  8  O.  Railways.  The  latter 
was  primarily  constructed  to  serve  the  Port  of  Charleston,  South  Carolina, 
which  purpose  is  about  to  be  realized  in  its  lease  to  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line 
interests.  The  Southern  serves  its  purpose,  but  it  has,  in  reality,  a  south- 
western trend  through  Knoxville  to  Memphis  and  Birmingham. 

The  Middle  West  industrial  centers  lie  to  the  northwest  of  North  Caro- 
lina. In  order  to  rid  ourselves  of  freight  rate  discriminations,  a  new  short 
line  from  our  coast  to  the  Middle  West  must  be  devised,  and  this  new  short 
line  must  avoid  dependence  upon  any,  and  every  one  of  Virginia's  East  and 
West    trunk   lines    of   railroad. 

There  are  several  lines  of  railway  in  Northern  North  Carolina  leading 
to  the  Blue  Ridge  from  the  east,  and  several  extending  to  the  foot  hills  on  the 
other  side  from  the  west. 

It  would  seem  then,  that  the  first  step  of  progress  should  be  made  by 
connecting  the  rail  heads  nearest  together  at  the  northwestern  corner  of  the 
State.  This  would  give  North  Carolina  Ports  a  new  short  line  of  rail  con- 
nections to  the  Middle  West,  and  would  form  a  splendid  base  of  complaint, 
for  reduction  of  freight  rates  and  relief  from  freight  rate  discriminations. 

The  great  East  and  West  trunk  lines  of  Virginia  have  their  terminations 
in  Newport  News  and  Norfolk,  and  it  is  to  these  Ports  that  they  wish  to 
haul  their  tonage  for  export  because,  thereby,  they  not  only  get  the  revenue 
for  the  long  haul  but  also  the  revenue  from  the  Port  facilities  which  in  some 
cases  they  own. 

With  adequate  Ports  constructed  in  Eastern  North  Carolina,  and  with 
the  new  short  line  railroad  to  the  Middle  West  realized,  relief  from  freight 
rate  discriminations  must  come,  and  our  Ports  will  become  competitors  with 
Norfolk. 

In  the  location  of  the  Appalachian  and  Western  North  Carolina  Rail- 
road, it  has  been  deemed  wise  to  pass  through,  or  near,  the  northeast  corner 
of  Tennessee  in  order  to  have  the  western  connection  fall  south  of  the 
Alleghany  Mountains  and  avoid  having  to  negotiate  the  grades  over  both  it 
and  the  Blue  Ridge. 

Southern  Railway  has  a  line  from  Big  Stone  Gap,  near  the  intersection 
of  the  line  between  Kentucky,  Virginia  and  Tennessee  to  Mountain  City, 
Tennessee,  near  our  Ashe  County  line.  This  same  system  has  a  railroad  from 
Greensboro  to  North  Wilkesboro  on  the  east  side  of  the  Blue  Ridge. 

Three  first  preliminary  lines  have  been  projected  with  the  idea  of 
having  the  Appalachian  and  Western  North  Carolina  Railroad  connect  these 
two   branches    of   Southern    Railway. 

This  does  not  mean  that  Southern  Railway  shall  dominate  the  Appa- 
lachian and  Western  North  Carolina  Railroad,  it  simply  means  the  first  step 
toward  North  Carolina's   transportation   freedom. 

Southern  Railway  can  be  given  an  opportunity  to  cooperate  in  this 
movement,  and  become  not  only  a  wonderful  North  and  South  carrier,  but 
on  the  other  hand  it  can  become  a  great  competitor  with  the  Virginia  East  and 

12 


West  lines  by  cooperating  with  the  L.  &  N.  out  of  Cincinnati,  and  the  Ap- 
palachian and  Western  North  Carolina  Railroad. 

In  the  meantime  North  Carolina's  interests  separate  and  apart  from 
any  and  all  existing  railway  corporations  should  get  hold  of  as  much  of  the 
Cape  Fear  and  Yadkin  Valley  Railway  as  possible  in  order  that,  if  necessary, 
the  combination  of  the  Appalachian  and  Western  North  Carolina  Railroad  and 
the  Cape  Fear  and  Yadkin  Valley  Railway  can  be  utilized  in  forcing  North 
Carolina's  freedom  along  transportation  matters.  From  Mountain  City, 
in  Tennessee,  it  is  not  far  down  Watauga  River  to  where  a  connection  could 
be  made  with  the  C.  C.  &  O.,  which  will  soon  have  its  western  terminus 
with  an  L.  &  N.  connection. 

It  would  not  seem  that  North  Carolina  should  construct  more  railways 
than  are  necessary.  When  the  Appalachian  and  Western  North  Carolina 
Railroad  is  constructed,  the  combination  of  lines  with  this  railroad  will  put 
North  Carolina  Ports,  every  one  of  them,  on  a  similar  milage  basis  from  the 
Middle  West  with  Norfolk. 

This  should  be  the  first  step,  and  if  the  proper  cooperation  is  not  given 
by  the  other  railroads,  then  steps  should  be  continued  until  every  hindrance 
is  eliminated,  for  a  complete  trunk  line  of  railroad  can  be  built  from  Cincin- 
nati, to  a  connection  with  the  Cape  Fear  and  Yadkin  Valley  Railway  for 
the  amount  of  money  the  interests  of  North  Carolina  lose  in  six  years  time 
due,  absolutely,  to  discrimination  against  the  State. 

Your  Engineer  does  not  advocate  the  State  owning  railroads  except 
in  self  defense,  but  he  does  venture  the  remark  that  the  State  owning 
a  railroad  from  Cincinnati  diagonally  across  the  State  of  North  Caro- 
lina, touching  two  or  three  of  her  Ports,  all  owned  and  operated  by  the  State 
would  be  a  veritable  gold  mine. 

While  we  have  produced  map  records  covering  the  four  projects,  at 
the  same  time  it  must  be  understood  that  the  surveys  and  maps  were  made  to 
develop  feasibility,  and  the  funds  available  would  hardly  permit  further 
investigation. 

A  line  of  railroad  could  be  built  exactly  on  the  lines  as  surveyed, 
but  among  other  things,  in  the  making  of  these  surveys  and  the  preparation 
of  these  maps,  your  Engineer  has  learned  that  the  Blue  Ridge  Mountain 
country  is  not  one  for  a  practical  adaptation  of  maximum  eight  degree  curves 
and  one,  and  one  and  one-half  per  cent,  grades.  Of  course,  further  investi- 
gation and  refinement  of  projections  could  be  made,  by  additional  surveys, 
and  the  road  could  be  put  through  within  the  prescribed  limitations,  but  it 
is  recommended  that  maximum  cuivature  be  raised  to  ten  degrees  and  that 
the  maximum  gradients  be  increased  to  two  per  cent,  compensated  aigainst  west 
bound  traffic  leaving  the  original  maximum  of  one  per  cent,  compensated, 
against  east  bound  traffic  to  be  maintained. 

This,  of  course,  means  entirely  new  surveys  east  from  the  summit  of 
the  Blue  Ridge,  but  it  will  cut  the  length  of  each  of  the  lines  ten  miles 
and  cut  the  cost  of  construction  thirty  to  forty  per  cent. 

13 


Should  the  Alleghany  County  Project  be  decided  upon  as  the  line  to 
be  constructed,  serious  consideration  should  be  given  to  the  completion  of 
the  Statesville  Air  Line  Railroad  from  Statesville  to  Elkin. 

SOME  MILEAGE   COMPARISONS: 

Based  on  the  revised  grade  and  curvature  limitations  as  above  recom- 
mended,  the  following  mileage  data  may  be  of  interest: 


MILES 

From 

Cincinnati 

to 

Via 

L.  a  N.,  A.  8  W., 

N.    C,    Sou.,    C.    F. 

8   Y.    V.   and  A.   C.   L. 

or    N.     S.     Railroads 

Via 

Harriman     Junction 

Knoxville  £$  Asheville 

Via 

Virginia    East    and 

West    Trunk   Lines 

and    Connections 

Beaufort      -  _  

811 

856 

838 

Wilmington 

764 

'     842 

824 

This  mileage  table  contemplates  using  existing  lines  in  connection  with 
the  Appalachian  and  Western  North  Carolina  Railroad  project,  avoiding 
the  use  of  any  part  of  any  one  of  the  Virginia  East  and  West  trunk  lines. 

It  is  possible  to  cut  the  mileage  from  Cincinnati  to  Mountain  City 
some  thirty  to  thirty-five  miles  by  the  construction  of  a  few  new  links  of 
railroad. 

Further  consideration  should  be  given  to  the  fact  that  east  bound  ton- 
nage by  way  of  the  Appalachian  and  Western  North  Carolina  Route,  would 
have  nothing  heavier  to  negotiate  over  the  Blue  Ridge  Mountain  than  one 
per  cent,  compensated  grades  and  ten  degree  curves. 

Louisville  and  Nashville  Railroad  from  Cincinnati  to  Big  Stone  Gap  is  a 
fairly  good  structure.  Southern  Railway  from  Big  Stone  Gap  to  Mountain 
City,  should  have  some  grade  revision  and  structure  betterment  made  when 
traffic  increases  to  justify  it,  and  the  North  Wilkesboro  Branch  of  Southern 
Railway  would  need  very  little  work  to  put  it  in  condition  to  handle  heavy 
tonage. 

Faithfully  yours, 


FRANK   T.   MILLER, 


Greensboro,  N.  C,  August  1,   1924. 


Chief  Engineer. 


14 


Photomount 

Pamphlet 

Binder 

Gaylord  Bros.  Inc. 

Makers 
Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

PAT.  JAN  21,  1908 


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'.   .';:-'^-;: ''■■■■:-.  /'v. ■ 

•' -V-'.V>  ■»;..:■",•■  ■'' 

."'   r       '■.■■■.-.•■■.        ' 


UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


00042093395 


FOR  USE  ONLY  IN 
THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  COLLECTION 


THIS  TITLE  HAS  BEEN  MICROFILMED 


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